Tunneling machine



` 'Decn 4, 192s. 1,693,954

H. E'. MARSH TUNNELING MACHINE Dec. 4, 1928.

H. E. MARSH TUNNELING MACHINE Filed oct. v, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 2 Dec. 4, 1928.

H. E. MARSH TUNNELING MACHINE Filed oct. 7, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 5 la J: 9T/1f g Z Flug/9 0 (2p '9 f5) o ifi I ,l fa

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myw inf/@fm Dec. 4, 1928.

H. E. MARSH TUNNELING MACHINE Filed Oct. '7, 1924 4 v hleets-Sheet ,4.

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Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

HOWARD E. MARSH, OF LOMPOG, CALIFORNIA,

TUNNELING MACHINE.

' Application filed October 7, 1924.4 Serial No. 742,122.

In the mining or cutting of lieselguhr or other diatemaceous earth, it has been the practice to remove the overburden from the natural deposit until ,the upper surface ofl the vtopmost stratum of kiesclguhr or earth desired is exposcd,rand then methods and ap paratus are employed for cutting through ,the same inwardly from its face to obtain the material in the condition desired. This present practiced method of obtaining the material necessitatesthe incurring `of heavy expense in the removing` ofthe overburden from each succeeding stratum as successive strata of the desired material are removed. Locations for receivingA the removed overburden are necessary, and if they are distant from the deposit the removal and disposal of the overburden is costly. Valuable cut material is wasted in dust and iines'under present methods, and it is tofovercome thek loss in handling the overburden and the waste of the material that I have designed the Vfollowir invention.` f

My pre t invention Vrelates to'an improvedumr nod and apparatus for mining licsclguhr or other diatcmaceous carths contained in natural deposit-s, preferably in the strata formation,-whercby the expense of renioving the overburden overlying successive strata is overcome andthe desired material is worked by the employment of a. mechanism which tunnels inwarlly` at an angle to the face ofthe vein. The invention further consi tjs in an apparatus whereby the material is reduced to a relatively fine condition, is collected, its lmllr-iis reduced by its being further ground and dried and compressed into predetermined shapes or forms whereby the compressed material is deliveredfrom the tunnel formed by the apparatus in a comparatively small compass, thereby eliminating the lossv of the finev ma.- tcrialand dust which takes placevfith the present form of mining or bloclrcutting.

- Another object of the invention is in the urovision of an improved form of cutter l ea d and material lifting bucket mechanism designed for. rotary vmovement and associated with driving mechanism suitably guided,y and with which mechanism is carried drying means in which the cut material is deposited, crushing..r means through which the vdried material vpasses and briqucttc. y

forming mechanism for compressing the material into suitable articles, the various mechanisms being movable as a Vunit lintol the tunnel formed by the cutterhead.

A furtherobjectV is to provide aface outting implement carrying on oneface devices for cutting material and for transferring the same yto .the rear of the in'iplement, and

to provide in connection with the implement .elevating and conveying means foi-moving the transferred material rearwardly-in the tunnel; anotherobject consists in a mechanism designed for reducing t-o a comparatively line condition the material excavated,

and at the. same time provides .a tun-nelfor I the reception of the tunneling machine, thereby overcoming the necessityyof removing theoverburden which occurs in deposits of this kind.' Y

With the above mentioned and other Vobjects'in view, theinvention consist in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter described, illustrated in theaccon'ipan-ying drawings, andfset forth inthe claims hereto appended, itr being understood that various changesin the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction Within the scope ofthe claims may be vresortedto 'i without departing Vfrom the `spirit "or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthe in.

vention.

To morefully comprehend the invention, 'referenceA is directed to one embodiment thereof wherein f Fig. lisa longitudinal sectional viewof a portion of therapparatus. Fig. lavis a `long itudinal sectional view of the remaining por `ion thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view takenon line 2-12 of Fig. l illustrating more particularly the guide mechanism of the primary and secondary carriages.l

Fig. -3 is a view in elevation of the means nov for retaining the main frame in locked position within the tunnel.

Fig. l is aview in transverse detail of the supporting'truck between the main and secondary frames. f i 4' Fig. 5 is a View in detail of the Worm and Athe ring,

pinion adjustingV mechanism between the mam and secondary frames.

Fig. 6 1s a view 1n transverse detail of a pair ofthe brlquettc molds with their plungers 1n their mncrmostposition; l

Fig. 71s a view similar to' iig. 6 with the plungers 1n material compressing' position.

F iJ. 8 is a View in transverse detail taken on line 8-8 illustrating the worm and con-v vve er and material drying means.

1g. 9 1s a transverse sectional viewcf the conveyer and worm crushing rolls.

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation of a pair` of .the formed briquettes.

i "Fig 11 is a view in elevation ofthe face cutting implement illustrating lthe spider,

` the cutting members, andthe curved elevating arms.l y

Y Fior. `12 is `a detail in elevation of a pair of t e cutting chisels mQunt-ed in their supporting block.

1 13'7`s a vi w in end elevation of the chise `supporting block illustrated in" Fig.

\ Fig.` 14; is'a view vin detailed elevation of `One of the material elevating buckets on the rear face ofthe cut-ting implement, and

i Fig.` 15 lis aviewin elevation of theiface of abank illustrating the layer deposits of kieselguhr separated by the Vmin-usable materialand illustratingV the formation cf ,tunnels by theemployment of my improved longitudinal'movement the main carriage 2 f no eferring to `the drawings wherein like characters Vof reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral views, 1 `indicates aV parir of trackrails of the usual parallel type on which are mounted for and secondary carriage2, the former being provided with duplicate'` pairs of'supportinu wheels [3 and tlrelatter mounting pairs o' supporting wheels 4 for engagingthe tracks l inrear of thepoint of engagement therewith the wheels 3. The main `carriage 2 consists in a pair of substantiallyrectangu lar open frames 5 united by the horizontal timbers 6, the inner Afaces of' which lie` in spaced relation. to` each other to afford a pas# sage 7 extending from end to end of the carriage 2. The timbers 6 are disposed slightly below the under surface of the upper transverse members ofi the` rectangular open frames 5 as in Fig. 2 of the drawings.` This main frame, when within the tunnel, is adapted to be held from longitudinal movement, anda three point locking mechauigm is illustrated in the embodiment set forth of' the invention, which consists of 'a jackscrew member 8 threaded into a casting 9' resting on the upper transverse member of the rear frame 5, theupper portion ofthe jackscrew member carrying a tunnel Vroof Vengaging block 10," Associated with the transverse upper lmemberzof theforward frame 5 is a.

flanged frame 11, tothe ends of which are secured the lower ends of toggle links 12,

Fig. 3. The link connecting portions of the toggles carry threaded swivel members 13V having threaded connection with the respective ends of the threaded shaftv 14'as at 15, the shaft being rotatably held centrally in abearing 16 resting on the flange 11. The free ends of the toggles 12 are connected by arms 17 hinged to said arms above the toggles are mounted tunnel roof engaging'blocks 19.V The rota.- tion of the handle 2() on the shaft 14 will enable theA application ofV great Jower to` the toggle links12 to forcethelocks 19 avainst the roofof the tunnel and with bljockl() to lock `the main carriagewithin Vthe tunnel between the roof andrtherails 1. Y The upper transverse members of the frames 5 are connected by a longitudinal plate 21, Figs. 1 and 1l, on which are mounted rails `22 that rest the wheels of aicarriage of" an auxiliary frame hereinafter described.

ether as-at 18, anden The-secondary carriage 2 includes a pair of base members 23 slidable over the lower transversemembers of the frames 5, as in FigsLl and 2 of the drawings, and in parallel spaced relation above said base Vmembers are thekparallel frame members 24: slidable on the horizontal guide timbers 6t Braces 25 unite the forward ends of base members 23 with the members 24; and rec#` tangular frame members 26 unite the rear `ends of baseA members 23 with the rear ends `l0() of the members 24, the members 24 extending outwardlyfrom the upperterminal ends-of the members 26, as in `Figjl of the drawing.v

An auxiliary frame member 27 extends longitudinallyof the spaee7between the memfi' bers Gand parallelwith the members 24,.' as

in Figs.` 1 and 2, the forward end of the same passing between the members 25.` Thus it will be observed that the members24, 27 i connects through gearing 31 with the cutter,`

shaft 32 rotatable in bearings carried by the frame of the secondary carriage 2. f The shaft32 is disposed at its outer end at a slight upward inclination, andon saidA outer `end is mounted a spider 34,'Fig. 11, and, on

the latter in turn is'mounted a ring 35 secured to the terminallends fof the spider? 34,

The spider `and ring, with the elements herel inafter described, `provide a face cutting the ring 35 and extending inwardly withv their inner terminal ends all curved in the same direction, are a plurality of material carriers or impellers and cutter supporting members 39, onthe forward faces of which are mounted blocks 36 and cutters 37. The members 39, it will be observed, extend in a curved path across the portions between the spider arms 34, and in this manner, due to' their projecting outwardly from the face of the ring 35 and the outer face of the spiders,are well adapted to impel` and guide material toward the openings'40 between the spider arms 34. On therear face of the ring 35 and near its 4periphery are mounted the elevating pockets or buckets 41 triangular l in elevationandeach providedwith an opening as'at 42 at the side in the direction of the rotation of the ring. The pockets are of sufficient size and number. to remove lfrom the floor of the tunnel" such material as escapes from the members 39 and is deposited in rear of the ring 35. The cutter head in itsV cutting operation is disposed at an inclination, Fig. 1, and will in its rotation lie flat against the end of theface of the bore being tunneled with the bits or chisels 37 cutting their way, and their mounting blocks 36 doingy likewise where they contact with rthe tunnel face. The rotation of spider 34 and ring 35 with their attendant cutting elements willd`ue. to the lack-of space between theringand spider faces andr the tunnel face, cause an upward movement of the tunneled materialV as the same is cut, or which vmay have been previously cut and dropped by gravity to the base of the tunnel.V On tie elevated ma.- terial arriving at a u oint above the horizontal it will slide iiom whatever element elevated it, drop between the spider arms 34 and members 39 to .the rear of the cutterl head, where it is picked up bythe pockets 42, and again elevated and deposited on the belt conveyer 43.

To receive the material as it is dumped from the pockets and from the members 39 and to convey it rearwardly in the tunnel 'l employ an endless belt conveyor 43 operating on rollers 44 and 44', one disposed transversely of the free end of the projecting frame at one side of the end of shaft 32 and the other carried by a bracket secured to the rear portion' of frame 26. A power belt 45 operates over a pulley on the shaft of pulley 44 and drives the same in the direction` of the arrow, Fig. 1, the power belt (ufawal ott ie plung'crsA being driven from 1a shaft 46; The mined lmaterial discharges from belt 43 `into a kvtrough 47 on which is mounted a spiral conveyery 47 driven by any suitable mechanism, and the material. while being'conveyed thus and at the same time agitated in said trough. is subjected to the temperature of heating elements 48 disposer. longitudinally of the underside of the' trough, the elements kbeing heated preferably by electricity.y During Athis time `the moisture contained yin the mined material is driven olf to a considerable extent and the materialat this point is in a relatively dry state. ,To enable'this relatively dry material toy be kectmomically handled and delivered to the entrance ofthe tunnel and pomts of transportation therebeyond with little loss it discharges from opcn- Y ing 43 in vtrough 4'? between the pair of crushing rolls 50 mounted in the casing 51 Aand from which easing` leads a-discharge spout througlrwhich passes the material afterv being' crusted by the rollers e0.

The spout 52 communicates with the per 53 of brlquette or block forming'apparatus preferabl United States terslnatent No. 311,360

or the` type illustrated in.

grantedtofmewonebruary 6th, 1906. vThis apparatus may be readily 'understood from the following briei description, but a more detailed description is set forthl inthe Lctters Patent above relier-red to,

The .apparatus consists primarily of a plurality of independent molds 54 slidably mounted with their sideywalls abutting within an oval frame illustrate/din dot-ed lines iu' Fig. 1n' as at the fr carried by therear end-ef the secondary carriagey 2.V Nithin the mold chamber 56 of the respective molds is reciprocably mounted a compressing plunger 57 the stem whch mounts a roller Eril riorly of the fran'ie 55 are positioned plunger opera igigguide rails and 6l, the rail 60 being disposeo one endet the-oval frame to cause wil;

l y 57 in their respective mold chamber. end the 'il `6l. being` disposed parallel with the lower sideoi the bottom portion of the voval frame' to limit the outward movement vofthe plu ers 57 in their respective molding che fibers. rlhe molds i-ntheir movement are d :posed with the open endsk of the chambers lfacing in` wardly and the stems oi? the pleeg .s being outwardly disposed, and path oftravel the inner faces of successive molds Contact with successive 'dat surfaces 62 of a rotating. anti 63: polygonal in trans verse section. ln their path travel over the guide rail 61.y when in inverted position, the molds aford a bottom yfor the hopper 53 and the material heretofore dried and ground and maintained under agitation within the hopper 53 by the agitator 64 fills the respective chambers 56, and is pressed il ame befng at one end ot their therein as the i chambers` pass beneath the compressing roll at one endof the hopper. In their travel the endsof themolds successivelylcontact with the tia-t faces 62, and

the -anvil 63 revolves they push one another forwardly in the direction of thearrow 66 until theV ends of theV plungers 57 pass in timed relation beneath the notches 67 in the periphery of ,a compressing disk 68 Vcari'ied by a shaft 69, which also mounts a gear 70.V 'The gear 701s driven in the direc-` tion of the arrow by a pinion 71 operated from any suitable source oitv power.- It will be observed that it is the engagement of the ends of the plungers of successive molds with the peripheral recesses 67 of the disk 68that imparts a travel in a close path to the series of molds, and the action ot the inward movement of the plungers 57 is to compress the material wit iin the chambers 56 thereof against the flat tace of the polygonal anvil 63. As the series of molds continue on their course they pass beneath an expelling roller 'T2 driven by a shaft 73,

A which rollercauses a complete inward movement` of the plungers at a time when the ki O ends of the chambers thereof are unobstructed, this latter action discharging the compressed briquettes a trom the respective mold chambers;` VThe briquettes are con-r veyed 'from the machine in any suitable manner, an endless belt Til being shown to receive them from the open ends of the mold chambers 56. Y

By the construction described, it will be apparent that I am enabled to form within a stratified deposit of diatomaceous earth,

successive parallel tunnels b without rei-p moving the overburden between the successive Ylayers of desired material, and in this manner am enabled to deliver from the,V

tunnel entrance the mined material in compressed form either as individual `briquettes, or the briquettes in stacked or bundled formation.V By the improved cutter, the inaterial is reduced to a relatively fine condition, inwhich condition it is easily handled.

By mounting the power mechanism, cutting mechanism, drying, crushing and briquette forming mechanism on a smglecar` ringe and steadying the cutting implementl by adjustablypassing the samethrough Vanother carriage held in position, I am en-` abled to drive a tunnel with considerable speed in that as the cutter advances thecarriage mounting all of the.` inter-related mechanism advances therewith, and in using my invention it will be understood that the main and secondary carriages are alternately advanced, the main carriage being Y advanced toward the tunnel end and the auxiliary-carriage gradually approaching the maincarriage-as the tunnel is jdriven;

i I-Iavingwthusdescribed my inventionwhat I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A "tunneling mechanism wheeled .main and'secondary carriages, the latter inY rear of `the former and provided with a frame longitudinally movable through Vand guida-bly mounted within-the former to vextend beyond the same,` a i rotatable face cutter' and cut material elevatingmember at the free end of the frame, means mounted on vthe secondary carriage for rotating y the cut- Y including "di ter, a material .conveyeri on the secondary walls of the tunnel, a secondary carriage hav'- ing its forward end projecting through and supported by said main carriage. Va cutter head carried by said secondary carriage and soA projecting forwardly in advance of Vsaid` main carriage, means for conveying the ex cavatedmaterial rearwardly from said cutter head, and material treating means cary ried by the rear portionof said secondary carriage andreceiving the `mined material from sai/d conveying means, and means for driving saidcutter head andadvancing said secondary carriage relative to said main car` riage. 1 Y,

3. A `tunneling machine comprising a main carriage having a wheeled support and adapted to be .anchored tothe walls ot the tunnel, a secondary carriage having -a Y wheeled support and having its forward end only projecting through and-supported by `said main carriage, acutter head carried by said secondary carriage and projecting forwar'dly in advance of said main carriage, means for conveyingthe excavatedmateri-V al rearwardly from,A said cutter head, andV material crushing and briquetting means carried by the rear portion of saidsecondary carriage *andv receiving the mined material from said conveying means, and means cari-` ried 'by said secondary carriage for driving said cutter head and advancing said second- ,ary .cairiage relative to said main carriage.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name` to this specification. i. HOWARD E. MARSH.

itY 

